When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long ~Psalm 32:3
Silence is a savage. It isolates and alienates. When it comes to a bad habit or addictive behavior, silence will keep us stuck in a rut. Why? Because silence holds power. If you don’t believe me, try telling someone your truth.
The words will stick in your throat and the anxiety will rot your bones. The reason—silence has the power to hold us hostage because we don’t want to give up the one thing that feels familiar, even if it’s harming us.
And yet, admitting there’s a problem that needs fixing allows room for accountability which is the first rule of change and a very effective way to break the power of silence because it requires us to take ownership of our actions. This is a good move. A power move, if you will.
Unfortunately, opening your mouth and speaking your truth will feel like a freight train is running through your gut. But inviting someone to see you as you are—broken but determined to change—opens the door for a power shift.
Even so, it will feel wrong. You will resist taking this step because it’s risky. But it is precisely this type of risk that brings the reward. And although vulnerability is required, it does not need to be reckless.
Pray for discernment in finding someone to confide in who is able to support and comfort you in this precarious place of vulnerability. When you do, light floods the darkness and you can see with more clarity and confidence what brave steps forward you need to take. This makes breaking the silence a strange and also brilliant contradiction of losing to gain.
God will show you who to trust. Then take a deep breath, and go for it.
Be bold. Be brave. Be free.
Tell Me More:
- Ask God to show you the right person to speak your truth to today.
- Put up a boundary and request they listen without judgment or suggestions.
- Be honest about what needs to change in your life and pray for the courage to own it.